I'm gonna continue on with what
Joe was preaching, so if you would, turn with me to Hebrews
chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11, we're gonna
read verses one through three. Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it,
the elders obtained a good report. Through faith, we understand
that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things
which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Substance. Faith is our assurance. Assurance of what? Things hoped
for. There are some things that a
child of God hoped for. And you can sum it up by saying
salvation. Salvation having been worked
out by God and salvation yet to come in which I will be rid
of this flesh. Salvation being life eternal,
which the believer possesses right now, being in Christ. This
life they have is in Jesus Christ. We just heard that from Joe.
Him being the object of that life, meaning this, my desire
is to be with him. It is what we hope for. We also
know that he has a body prepared for us, a new body, and when
we go to be with him, we will put off this body of death, this
flesh, and truly put on that new man when we see him as he
is. So everything we hope for is
everything that is bound up in salvation, salvation wrought
by Jesus Christ. It is our evidence, it says here. It is our proof that those things
hoped for will come to pass. Faith is authored by Christ.
Hebrews 12, 2 says, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God. Jesus Christ is the possessor,
the creator, the one whose faith it was to do all the will of
the Father and the covenant made by the three in one. He believed,
he trusted in the Father to the extent that he was made a little
lower than the angels. And he never wavered or hesitated
in what he was here to do. No one could deter him from what
he was doing. Jesus Christ completed the work
he came to do so faith is him completing the work he came to
do Meaning he perfected it There we see the perfecter of faith
That is the finisher or completer of faith Because faith is his
him being the author and finisher of it faith looks to him and
what he has done and It says here that they obtained a good
report. I see this as saying this in
two ways. By this gift that is given by
God of which we did not merit or even ask for, but by this
gift that is faith, we receive a good report that we are righteous. We've read it before, Galatians
3, 6. Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to
him for righteousness. So this gift of faith, which
is the faith of Jesus Christ given to us, enables us to believe
God. Also this faith, which is the
faith of Jesus Christ given to us, enables us to believe God. This faith enables us to receive
a good report. That is the gospel of faith of
the faith of Jesus Christ. God tells us that in him, in
Christ Jesus, we are made the righteousness of God in him.
This faith lets us know that God is the creator of all things. They were created when all there
was was God. They were created by the Word
of God. John 1, 1 says, in the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. Jesus Christ has always
been. He is the Word of God as we read
there in John 1, 1. It says here that we understand
that the worlds were framed by the Word of God. It does not
say that we understand how the worlds were framed by God. We
just know it was done by the word of God. If God told us how
he did all of this, I'm not sure we could even take it in. One
last promise I do want to mention, and that is the promise of the
indwelling spirit of God. Those back then did not have
this, yet they still had faith, it says. I will also say this,
the old man does not have faith. He never has and never will have
faith, because it is flesh and that's all it will ever be. So
obviously, I want to talk about faith today. There are a lot
of people who like to tell you what faith is. Most do this by
basing it on what they do or do not do, or what you are doing
or not doing, and determining by that if it is faith or not. I certainly do not deny that
having faith, we do do some things, or maybe we don't do other things.
So whatever faith is, it is our assurance and our proof of things
hoped for. So let's talk about the following
this morning. What do works of faith look like? And where do
I find works of faith? First of all, let's be clear,
there are some things in scripture that let us know they are not
works of faith. We know they are not because
we are told they are works of unrighteousness. We are told
our faith is accounted to us for righteousness. So first,
certainly faith is not unrighteous. We have heard this before, but
in Romans 1-8 we read, for the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who
hold the truth in unrighteousness. Then in verses 23-24, and change
the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like unto
corruptible man and to birds and forfeited beasts and creeping
things. Wherefore God also gave them
up to uncleanness through the lust of their own hearts to dishonor
their own bodies between themselves. Then in verses 29 through 31
of Romans 1, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication,
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate,
deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful,
proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
without understanding covenant breakers, without natural affection,
implacable, unmerciful, and you can go on and on. There are things
that are clearly unrighteous before a thrice holy God. If
you relish the thought of doing these things and you act on these
lusts and do these as your way of life, you have no faith. Then there are other places in
scripture where we are told they are or were works of faith. We actually have some in the
chapter we are in, in our text. I mentioned these before in my
message on Philippians 3. It says something like, by faith
able. I want to be clear again in case
I was not clear before. These works were works of faith. It says they were in scripture.
It says by faith they did these things. One, I want to point
out because of how I said it the last time, and I want to
clear up how I said it. Hebrews 11, 23, it said, by faith
Moses when he was born was hid three months of his parents because
they saw he was a proper child and they were not afraid of the
king's commandment. And I said something like this,
it's not talking about this or it's not saying this. But it
is talking about faith. But what I was trying to say
is this work of faith, and it was a work done in hiding, was
a work of faith, and it was done in hiding Moses three months.
They hid him by faith. When it says by faith Moses,
it's not saying Moses did these things, it is saying his parents
did these things by faith. He was a little baby and could
make no decisions to do this. Probably the only decision he
could make was to say wah. These were all works of faith.
But if I went out and started building an ark, you probably
would be thinking about sending me to a doctor to find out what's
wrong with me. We have to remember the context
here in Hebrews. Faith is the substance of things
hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. All these having
faith looked forward to that day when the Messiah would come.
So all they did was done toward that end. Just as Walter said
in his message this morning, Abraham, when he took Isaac up
to kill him, he knew God had promised that the seed would
come through his son. So he knew God would bring him
back to life. He did this looking to the Messiah.
We are told in scripture those things we should do as children
of God. There are some things that if
you are a child of God, and Joe mentioned some just a little
while ago, you do them looking back at what Christ has done,
knowing that he has promised all these things, and that one
day we will be with him where he is. Here is just one work
I can think of that you can do, just to name one. Forsake not
the assembling of yourselves together. That is a work that
can be done in faith. But just because you are always
faithful to attend the gathering of the saints does not mean you
are doing it in God-given faith. It can be, but it does not mean
it is for certain. Let me go to scripture and try
to show you what I'm talking about when it comes to trying
to pinpoint what someone is doing and saying that is faith or that
is not faith, and the fact that we should not do them. Turn with
me to Romans 14. Romans 14. Romans 14, and I wanna read four
through 17. Romans 14 verse 4. Who art thou
that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth
or followeth. Yea, he shall be holden up, for
God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above
another. Another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth
it unto the Lord. And he that regardeth not the day, to the
Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the
Lord, for he giveth God thanks. And he that eateth not, to the
Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth
to himself, and no man doth to himself. For whether we live,
we live unto the Lord. And whether we die, we die unto
the Lord. Whether we live, therefore, or
die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died
and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead
and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set it not thy
brother? For we shall all stand before
the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, as I live,
saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall
confess to God. So then every one of us shall
give account of himself to God. Let us not, therefore, judge
one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put
a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing
unclean of itself, but to him that esteemeth anything to be
unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved
with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him
with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good
be evil spoken of, for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink,
but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Some men do these things because
they think it is the right thing for them to do. Others may be
the opposite and do not do this certain thing, not thinking it
to be the right thing to do. If whatever you are doing is
not unrighteousness, as we've already said, and you want to
do it or regard it, it says there in Romans, when talking about
a certain day, then do it. You may do something and to you
it's not a sin. If it is something that is not
specifically spelled out by God as being unrighteousness, and
it is something you want to do or not do, do it as unto the
Lord. If you do not think it is sin,
if you do think it is sin, then it is sin to you. And I stress
to you. That is what Paul says, Romans
14, 14. I know and am persuaded by the
Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself, but to him
that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But we ought not to be forcing
a brother into doing something he feels is a sin. I know we
all like to judge one another, but we just read, and here is
what we should judge, not what my brother is doing, but what
I might be doing that is causing my brother to stumble. 1413, let us not therefore judge
one another anymore, but judge this rather, that no man put
a stumbling block or an occasion to fall on his brother's way.
We all seem to feel We are okay if we can put the impetus on
someone else to do something. But a lot of times we don't like
it if it is us who has to do the something. It generally is
always someone else who should do it when it comes to us, to
me. We even as believers like to
lay down our laws to someone. This flesh eats it up. But we
are not under the law, yet we like to put others and we like
to put ourselves under the law. Paul says we are the Lord's. Now if you see a believer who
is caught up in unrighteousness, then that might be a time to
say something. First Peter 4 says, and above
all things, have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity
shall cover the multitude of sins. And I said might there.
So it just depends on what it is and what the circumstances
are. I can't lay it out on when you should say this, when you
shouldn't say something. I want to be clear here. This
does not necessarily mean you do not say something about it,
but sometimes maybe. I do not know all things, and
I cannot say how you should do things in every circumstance.
Maybe some can, but however it is done, it should be done in
charity, that is love. One more place, 1 Corinthians
10, if you would turn with me there, if you're following along.
1 Corinthians 10. 1 Corinthians 10, verses 23 through
31. And this I do for the gospel's
sake, that I might be, wrong chapter, verse 10, verse
23. All things are lawful for me,
but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me,
but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but
every man another's wealth. Whatever is sold in the shambles,
that eat, asking no question for conscience' sake. For the
earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. If any of them
that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go, whatsoever
is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake.
But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice
unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience'
sake, for the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. Conscience,
I say, not thine own, but of the other, for wise my my liberty
judged of another man's conscience. For if I by grace be partaker,
why am I evil spoken of for that which I give thanks? Whether
therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the
glory of God. If you notice, there's one thing
that's not mentioned in those passages. I do not read of it
saying by faith. Faith is not in what you do or
do not do. Faith is in what has been done
or not done. Faith does not look at all to
what you do or don't do. It just does not. My hope is
not that I might have enough righteousness to make it into
his presence. My hope is that he did what was
needed to bring me into his presence. But I have more to say on that
next. So now let's look at what faith is. We can go to scripture
and we can see that there are works that have been done that
are of faith, our text. But we now cannot say that if
we do those things, they are done in faith. Let's turn to
James 2, and I know I'm having you turn to a lot of passages,
but it says it a lot better than I could. James 2, James 2. in verses 14 through 26. What doth it profit, my brethren,
though a man say he have faith and have not works? Can faith
save him? If a brother or sister be naked
and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them,
depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, notwithstanding ye
give them not those things which are needful to the body, what
doth it profit? Even so, faith, if it hath not
works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, thou hast
faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy
works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest
that there is one God, thou doest well. The devils also believe
and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man,
that faith without works is dead? Now here he's gonna tell you
about his works. but they're not his. Was not
Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered
Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought
with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the
scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God,
and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, and he was called
the friend of God. Ye see then how that by works
a man is justified and not by faith only. Likewise also was
not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received
the messengers and had sent them out another way? Again, someone
else's works, not his. For as the body without the spirit
is dead, so faith without the works is dead also. Faith believes God. And faith does that toward the
brethren, that which is needed. If I see a brother or a sister
in need and yet I do nothing, but I have to be honest, how
many times have I done that? I know I'm guilty. Thank God
for forgiveness. Faith, because it is of Jesus
Christ, believes those things that have been done by Christ.
For those who came before Christ died, this was done looking forward
to what he would do. For those who do this after he
has come the first time, they do this looking back at what
he has done, but also looking forward to that which is yet
to be done. Faith is the substance of things
hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. This is not
all there is. We do have eternal life now if
we are in Jesus Christ, but there is more to come. Jesus Christ
will return to gather his elect. He will give us that new body
and there will be no longer be sin. This body of flesh, this
body of sin will be gone. I look forward to that day. I
still have to, I still have not got to the works
of faith that I wanted to talk about, that for which we believe
God. Let's turn to Galatians 2 a minute.
Galatians 2. These are all pretty close together,
so maybe it won't be too bad. Galatians 2. Galatians 2, verses 16 through
21. That's not right. Bear with me just a minute. Let's try Galatians 5, verses
16 through 21. Wherefore henceforth know we
no man after the flesh. Yea, though we have known Christ
after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. Therefore,
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are
passed away, behold, all things are become new. And all things
are of God, who hath reconciled us to him, self, by Jesus Christ,
and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To wit, that
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word
of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for
Christ as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ's
dead be you reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin
for us who knew no sin. That's why I'm in the wrong book. I'm sorry about that, folks.
Yeah, it was a good passage. Okay, Galatians 2, verse 16. Man, I thought I was going crazy.
Okay, Galatians 2, verses 16 through 21. Knowing that a man
is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith
of Jesus Christ, even we believed in Jesus Christ that we might
be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works
of the law. For by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified. But if while we seek to be justified
by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore
Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again
the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
For I through the law am dead to the law that I might live
unto God. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless
I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which
I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the
grace of God, for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ
is dead in vain. Faith is Jesus Christ loving
me and giving himself for me. That is that covenant made by
the three in one. Jesus Christ did all things right
because he is the righteousness of God without the law personified. He came down to this earth and
was born of a virgin. He was made a curse and sin for
me because he loved me. And we got to read a little bit
of that too. He said he loved me and he showed he loved me
by what he did. Because of this, the following
is the judgment of our Lord on those for whom he died. John
8.10 says, when Jesus had lifted up himself and saw none but the
woman, he said unto her, woman, where are those thine accusers?
Hath no man condemned thee? She said, no man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, neither
do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more. Now did she
sin anymore? I'm sure she did. She may have
not done this particular sin again, but if she is like me,
and I'm sure she is, or was, then she sinned. Yet we have
brethren who want to condemn one another and judge one another
for things they know nothing about. Like I said, there is
a place for us to judge and say something. We're told those in
scripture, but generally what we judge is because someone does
not do it like I do it or do it like I like it to be done.
If you say you have faith and yet you have no works, works
that show you love the brethren and show that you believe God,
then you have a dead faith. But I cannot always look at those
things done by myself or someone else and know if they are done
in faith. There are times to say things though. What is the
conclusion to all of this? Preach to me the gospel. I need
it because therein is the righteousness of God revealed, Romans 1, verses
16 and 17. For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone
that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein
is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. As it is
written, the just shall live by faith. When I hear of someone
talking about what my Lord has done for me because he loved
me, having been given faith to believe it, I believe. By faith,
we obtain a good report. The faith given me, believe that
that faith of Christ proclaimed to me, and his Holy Spirit seals
that to my soul. I then do those things by faith
that honor him as he is pleased to guide me into them. What are
his commandments to me as a believer? believe him and love the brethren. Both impossible to do without
faith. Because in our chapter we read
that without faith it is impossible to please him. I know I also
do things that dishonor him. But by faith I honor my Lord
by believing him and loving the brethren. He promised that what
he did gives me eternal life. He promised that where He is,
there I will be also. He promised He will never leave
nor forsake me, no matter what anyone else might do or not do,
or what I might do to someone else or not do. He is faithful
to do that for which He has promised. So what am I to know about is
Him. I want to know about His faithfulness. This I will see and hear by faith
in the gospel. So tell me about His faith. Preach
me the gospel, amen. My Lord God, forgive your servant's
stumbling tongue, dear Lord, but thank you for allowing us
to proclaim you, dear Lord. Be with all those who stand and
speak your truth that they May stand and preach it boldly,
be with Walter as he comes, but dear Lord, open our hearts, minds,
and ears that we can take it in, dear Lord, because we can't
do it unless you open our hearts, dear Lord. Be with those who
may have some illness, dear Lord. Heal them in the way that you
know is the best, dear Lord, and which is right. All these
things we ask in Christ's name, amen.